CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Investments:
Fixed maturities, cost	$ 200,734	$ 207,568
Common and non-redeemable preferred stocks, cost	11,969	11,969
Other invested assets, cost	2,968us-gaap_OtherInvestments	2,995us-gaap_OtherInvestments
Receivables:
Insurance premiums and other, allowance for doubtful accounts	453	439
Shareholders' equity:
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 1	$ 1
Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares)	4,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized	4,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized
Preferred stock, shares issued (in shares)	55,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesIssued	55,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesIssued
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	55,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesOutstanding	55,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesOutstanding
Preferred stock, redemption value	$ 5,500us-gaap_PreferredStockRedemptionAmount	$ 5,500us-gaap_PreferredStockRedemptionAmount
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 1	$ 1
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares)	50,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized	50,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
Common stock, shares issued (in shares)	22,400,894us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued	22,400,894us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	20,579,575us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding	20,600,039us-gaap_CommonStockSharesOutstanding
Treasury stock, at cost (in shares)	1,821,319us-gaap_TreasuryStockShares	1,800,855us-gaap_TreasuryStockShares

The valuation allowance as of the balance sheet date to reduce the gross amount of receivables to estimated net realizable value, which would be presented in parentheses on the face of the balance sheet.

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